Spinning spindle



sein. 29, 1925.

F. E. MUELLER SPINNING SPINDLE Filed Jan. 2. 1922 M f ZINVEA/If.

.BY JW ATTORNEY .A

`Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. MUELLER, 0F MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NORMA-HOFF- HANN BEARINGS CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

SPINNING SPINDLE.

Application led January 2, 1922. Serial No. 526,457.

To all whom t may eminem:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. Munn- LER, a citizenof the United States, residing `at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spinning Spindles, ot which the following is a specification.

vThis invention relates to spinning spindles having ball bearings of relatively large size whereby the spindle may be operated at high speeds and with an economical consumption of power.

In one embodiment of the invention the bolster of a conventional form oi spindle is provided at its upper end with a cylindrical extension or sleeve surrounded by the whirl which is iixed to the spindle proper. Be tween the spindle and the upper end oi the sleeve or extension on the bolster, a ball bearing is interposed." The principal feature oit novelty resides in the utilization by a simple and economical construction ot a sleeve or cylindrical extension on the holster as the outer race for the bearing" balls, thus enabling balls of relatively large size to be employed within the relatively small space which is available between the periphery of the spindle and the sleeve. Owing to the fact that we thus eliminate the use of a separate outer race for the bear- Y ing constituting a unit part ot the bearing, we are also enabled to provide a ball-retaining cage which is of relatively heavy and durable construction.

It is a further general object of the in- Vvention to provide a ball bearing for spind dies, the several parts of which can be pro`A duced by means of simple, mechanical op erations and readily assembled in connection with the remaining parts of the spindle or disassembledv when repair or inspection is necessary.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved spindl'e bearing and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and subsequently incorporated in the sub-joined claims.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a conventional type of cotton spinning spindle equipped with my new invention, I have shown a central vertical Aupper end of said bolster.

section through the spindle base, the bolster and the whirl.

In practice, it is usual to mount a large number of the spindles in spaced relation to each other upon a supporting rail, each spindle including a base 5 which is removably mounted or fixed upon the rail in any approved manner. This base is provided lwith the customary tubular or hollow shank 6 to receive a bolster 7. This bolster intermediate o'f its ends is provided with a peripheral bearing surface 8 for contact with the inner wall of the shank 6, the remaining peripheral surfaces of the bolster' being slightly spaced from the wall of said shank so as to permit ot a slight angular movement ot' the bolster with respect to the base. in oil iilm is interposed between the spaced surlaces of the bolster and the base t0 yield ingly cushion such relative movement.

' The upper surface oi" the base 5 is provided with a circular recess 9 to the annular vertical wall ot which the lower end of a tubular sleeve or cylinder l() is fixed in any preferred manner. The upper end oie the bolster l is diametrically enlarged or formed with the head il which loosely tits within the lower portion of the sleeve or cylinder l0. To this bolster head the lower end of a second sleeve or cylinder 12 is suitably secured, said latter sleeve extending upwardly above the bolster.

The spindle proper, indicated at 13, is mounted at its lower end in the bolster 'l in the usual manner and extends upwardly above the cylinder or sleeve l2 I'ixed to the rl`his spindle carries the usual whirl 14 which encloses or surrounds the outer cylinder l0 fixed to the base 5.

The several parts of the spindle to which I have above referred, together with the lubricant-supply means illustrated in the drawing, constitute no part of my present invention. I am aware of the fact that ball bearings have heretotore been used in the operation of such spindles, but owing to the limited permissible diameter of the whirl 14, the bearing halls have necessarily been of an exceedingly small size so that they were incapable of withstanding the excessive wear incident to high-speed operation of the spindle for an extended length of time. It must be remembered that when I just spoke of ball bearings I include therein the inner race, the outer race, balls bel tween the races and a cage for the balls. l have just stated that the balls were relatively small and it is also clear that the cage would be correspondingly small and fragile.,

ln my present invention l aim to overcome the deficiencies of ball bearings previous-ly used in such spindles, as above reh ferred to, and to this end l utilize 'the up war i extension of the inner cylinder to the bolster, as the outer race for 'the balls so that the bearing is not provided with a, separate outer race ring a unitary part thereof. As herein shown, 'the bearing conn sists an inner race ring 15 fixed upon the spindle 1E in any a oved r anner and provided with an annularball-receiving race in its outer face. in inner race of this form is well known in 'the art., he bearing balls 16 are assembled and held in circumferential spaced relation in the race of 'gne inner ring 15 by means of a vetaininggg cage This cage, which is of a well lrnown. form, 1ncludes continuous side flanges d1 posed opposite sides of the series of balls and s. connecting wall between said flanges having spaced openings therein through which the inner portions of the balls protrude for engagement in the race of the inner bearing ring 15. Because this cage is of a weil known type l do not show it in detail in the drawings but reference to a suitable c ge is made by referring to U1 Letters to Hirte No. 796,648 of August s, ieee. bearing balls at their outer sides have bearing contact with the inner face of the tubular extension,4 or sleeve 12 fixed to the bolster head 11. It will be apparent that considerable space is ai'iorded between the inner bearN ing rings 15 and this cylindrical inner Wall so that balls of relative large diameter may be employed together with a cage 17 of strong and durable construction due to the large size of the cage which may be used. T n the illustrated embodiment of my invention l have shown two of the inner bearing ,rings 15, each having a series of balls in assembled relation therewith. However, it is practically possible to make the two bearmg rings in the form of one unitary part having two spaced annular race-ways. The

separate rings 15 or the race-ways formed in a single inner bearing ring may be spaced apart on the spindle for any desired disltance Within certain limits so that the distance between the contact points of the spaced series of balls with the outer common cylindrical sleeve 12 may be varied in such manner as to secure the highest degree of eiciency in the operation of the spindle- Another advantage incident to the utilization of the bolster sleeve or cylinder 12 as an outer race ring for the bearing, resides in the fact that this cylinder or sleeve may be the balls with res, 4r 'Tv saliace., anis pe el? f Lne cage er cylinder without lifting the spindle From the alomo description consi 'i connection with 1 iccompanying e.. the construction f u several advante my present inventori will be read'ly understood. i' vill be ai'xpreciated that by eliminating tne use an outer race ring as a unitary part of the bearing, such, spinning spindles may be equipped with bearings having balls of relativelj/,r large diameter` to thereby materially prolong the life of the bearing. Also, ie necessity of employing holding or securing means for the outer race 'ring or special machining operations so as to retain said ring in a fixed position is avoided. By providing the bearing with a cylindrical outer'i-ace which may serve as a common racc member for a plurality of rows of bearing balls, the expense incident to the manufacture of such bearings and the equipmensof the spindle therewith. is also materially reduced.

nave herein disclosed an embodiment of 4the invention which l believe will give highly satisfactory results in practical operation. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the improvementl constituting the subject matter of this application is susceptible to certain minor modifications in the several structural features above referred to. Accordingly the privilege is reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, proportion and relative arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

:lVha-t I claim is: l

1. In combination with a spindle including a base. and a bolster mounted therein to receive the spindle proper, a cylindrical sleevev fixed to the upper end of the bolster, and an anti-friction bearing for the spindle including an inner bearing ring fixed to the spindle, a ball-retaining cage and a series of bearing balls assembled therein and interposed between rthe inner bearing ring and the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve on the bolster, said inner surface of the sleeve constituting a bearing race for the balls and being unobstructed to permit of the removal or insertion of the inner bearing ring, the

Loo

balls and the cage from said sleeve as a unit when the spindle is removed lrorn the bolster.

2. A spinning spindle comprising a hase, a bolster supported therein and provided with a head which extends above said base, a cylindrical tubular extension 'lined its lower end to said head and entendng up ward therefrom, a spindle supported in said bolster and provided with a Whorl which incloses said tubular extension and an inner race ring within said extension, oear-` ing balls engaging with said race ring and having direct bearing Contact at their outer sides with the spindle with the inner peripheral surface of or to said extension, and a tubular cylindrical extension lined at its lower end to said Ahead and extending 'upward between said first named cylindrical yextension and said whorl and spaced from both.

3. In combination with a spindle having a base and a bolster mounted therein 'to receive the spindle proper, a whorl for the spindle, a reversible sleeve fixed at one end to the upper end of said bolster and having an uninterrupted and unobstructed inner surface area, and an antifriction bearng interposed above the bolster and within the whorl between the spindle proper and the inner surface of said sleeve,i.saidsurface constituting the outer race for direct contact engagement of the rotating elements of the bearing therewith, said spindle and whorl, with the antifriction bearing being adapted to be removed or inserted within' the reversible sleeve, the lower end of the spindle having contactual bearing engagement in the bolster thereby, allowing the ready removal or insertion of the spindle from or into the bolster base.

4. In combination with an outer bearing race member for spindle holsters, comprising a cylindrical sleeve having an interior surface unobstructed and uninterrupted, and

adapted at one of its ends to engage the spindle bolster, of a spindle having a whorl, said spindle provided within the whorl with an inner race and ball bearings, said ball bearings adapted to make direct vcontactual engagement with the unobstructed and uninterrupted interior surface of the cylindrical sleeve, and said spindle being ada ted to be removed from or inserted into t e bolster without disassembling from the spindle, all of the ball bearings being above the bolster allowing a free removal or insertion of the lower end of the spindle in respect to the bolster.

the ball bearings and con v engaged npon peripheral surface of the spindle, a cage surrounding said i and a plurality of l ear'ug elenien in said cage and ng rotating con act with the race ring and with said uninterruptedinner surface of the cylindrical sleeve whereby said bearing unit may be with-D drawn through the upper end el the sleeve when the spindle is removed from the bolster.

6. In combination with a base, a bolster mounted therein and a spindle removably supported in said bolster; a vertically dis= posed reversible cylindrical sleeve linedly mounted at one ot its ends relative to the spindle and extending above the upper end of the bolster, said sleeve having an uninterrupted inner surface area, and a plurality of anti-friction bearing units interposed loetween the spindle and the inner surface et the sleeve, each of said units including an inner race ring tixedly engaged upon the peripheral surface of the spindle, and a series of bearing elements having :rot-ating lcontact with said race ring and the uninterrupted inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve whereby said bearing units may be withdrawn through the upper end of said sleeve when the spindle is removed from the bolster.

7. In combination with a base and a s indle removably supported therein; a vertically disposed cylindrical sleeve detachably mounted at one of its ends in fixed relation to the spindle and reversible end for end, said sleeve having an uninterrupted inner surface area, and an anti-friction bearing unit interposed between the spindle and. said inner sprface of the sleeve and withdrawable through the up r end of said sleeve with the spindle w en the latter is removed from its operative position relative to the spindle base.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

FREDERICK E. MUELLER. 

